Which
is the best diet?
Click on the fruit or see the items on
this page for an overview of each diet.
Atkins Diet
The
late Dr. Richard Atkins developed one of the most popular and controversial
diets of recent years.
Designed to alter the way your body deals with foods, the Atkins diet
suggests reduction of carbohydrate intake in order to cause a change in
your metabolism to induce dissolving of body fat. The idea is that instead
of using carbohydrates for energy, your body uses up stored fat instead.
The Atkins diet might suit you if you're a big meat eater and are looking
for fast results. More on the Atkins
Diet
Atkins
Diet Recipes
Alternate
Day Diet (ADD)
This popular eating plan is proving very successful in dropping those
unwanted pounds. Eat what you fancy on one day, then on the next day limit
yourself to 500 calories. It's reckoned to be easier to follow because
you only have to do without your favourites for one day!
Created by Dr.James Johnson, the diet is based on the idea that the calorie
reduction on alternate days causes a 'skinny gene' to be activated. This
is believed to block a process of storing fat. Trials have shown that
Alternate day diet users lost from 10lbs-30lbs. It is also claimed to
boost the immune system resulting in better health and longer life!
more about the alternate day
diet
Glycemic
Index
Based on the fact that all sugars, starches and fruits are digested at
different rates. The GI diet categorizes carbohydrates by the speed the
body digests and converts them to energy. The foods are recognised as
being 'high' or 'medium to low' on the GI index, the latter being preferred,
as a gradual release of energy from low GI foods will prevent hunger and
give you plenty of energy throughout the day. As an added bonus this diet
reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. GI
Diet Recipes
Low GI :
a value of 55 or less - porridge
oats, lentils, pulses and beans, barley, tomatoes,
raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, cherries,
grapes, apples, pears, peaches, custard
Med GI
: values of 56 to 69 - granary bread, wholemeal
pasta, basmati
rice, honey,
jam, Weetabix, Shredded Wheat, ice cream, new potatoes, sweet potatoes
High GI :
value of 70 or more
- grapefruit juice, cereal, white and wholemeal bread, baked potato, mashed
potato, sugar, banana, watermelon, parsnips, brown rice
More about the GI Diet
The
Zone Diet
Dr Barry Sears zone diet is based on the principle of regulating levels
of insulin and other hormones in the blood within recommended levels (The
Zone) by eating the correct balance of food at the right intervals.
The diet recommends
a 30:40 ratio of protein to carbohydrates to help maintain a balance between
the hormones insulin and glucagen which is optimum for fat-burning and
overall health.
The Zone diet plan causes the body to work within its ideal performance
'zone' providing maximum energy and weight loss.
No caffeine, moderate alcohol - Alcoholic beverages contain very little
carbohydrate - most wines and spirits contain virtually none.
The recommendations
are a maximum of 14 units
of alcohol a week for women and 21 units a week for men.
More about the Zone Diet
Zone
Diet Recipes
Weight
Watchers
Weight watchers is a diet 'club' with thousands of meetings held every
week around the world. It's also online with tons of useful free information
on the website and you can join online for the benefits of full membership.
The two types of diet promoted by Weight watchers, the core plan and the
points plan are both low-fat, low-calorie and easy to follow.
Many Weight watchers
members praise the help and support they get at meetings so if you have
willpower problems, this could be a good option for you.
More about Weight watchers Recipes
Calorie counting
Calorie
counting is simple - just count the number of calories in everything that
you eat and drink - to lose weight just keep your daily intake of calories
lower than the amount your body needs. Oh - if it were that easy!
But you can lose
a pound a week by consuming 500 calories a day less than your body uses
and you can continue to eat your favourite foods.
More about Calorie
counting
The South Beach Diet
The
invention of the american cardiologist Arthur Agatston, the South Beach
diet has three stages which aim to move your food intake in the direction
of 'good' away from 'bad'.
The diet aims to break the cycle of sugar / insulin highs and lows which
occur as a result of eating 'bad' quickly absorbed carbs and which can
encourage us to snack.
It's possible to
achieve significant weight loss in the two week induction phase making
it another good option for fast weight loss and it's also said to be good
at getting rid of excess weight around the stomach area.
More about the south beach diet
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